Cigarette box



w. s. G'RoQM CIGARETTE BOX Filed March 29, '1946'I INVENTOR ifi/fam 5.@raam Patented Oct. Z8, 1947 CIGARETTE BOX William S. Groom,

to William Botts,

Fort Mitchell, Ky., assignor Fort Mitchell, Ky.

Application March 29, 1946, Serial No. 658,000

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in novelty cigarette boxesand has for its principal object the construction and cooperation ofcertain elementspf a receptacle to provide for normal storage andprotection of cigarettes contained therein and upon manual rotation ofsaid receptacle to automatically transfer a single cigarette fromstorage to an accessible, dispensing position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a two-part cigarette boxwhich positively dispenses one cigarette by a manually instituted,rotatory movement of the box thereby obviating the use of push buttons,levers, or other similar cigarette dispensing mechanisms. y

A further object of the invention is to provide .a cigarette box of theabove stated character which has a simple and durable structure, has apositive dispensing action, is attractive in appearance, and isinexpensive to manufacture.

With these ends in view this invention consists in the details ofconstruction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth in thespecification, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and specificallydesignated in the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my cigarette box in an inverteddispensing position.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken through the longitudinal centerof the box illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional View similar to that of Fig. 3 showing mybox in normal storage position.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to that of Fig. 3 showing thebox approaching its cigarette dspensing position.

Referring to the drawing the numeral I 0 indicates an open bottomed boxhaving side walls II -and I2, end walls I3 and I4 and a top wall I5. Asis clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 the longitudinally extending,elongated side walls II and I2 are somewhat thickerv than the end wallsand to this end each wall may have a supplemental sectionII and i1secured to its respective inner surface. Preferably each of thesesections I6 and Il has formed therethrough a longitudinally extendingslot I8 and I9 respectively. As indicated in Figs. 2-5 each slot has anupper and lower side which is downwardly inclined toward the box centerand each slot is slightly longer and wider than the length and Width ofa cigarette adapted to be contained in and dispensed by the cigarettebox. It will be noted that the walls II and I2 of the box serve to closethe outer sides of the through slots I8 and I9 respectively, and thatsaid slots are disposed adjacent the bottom edges of the box side wallsand open inwardly toward the longitudinal center of said box.

Contained wholly within -arette receptacle or hopper generally indicatedby the reference numeral 20. This receptacle has a loose fit with theinside of the box to permit sliding movement of the receptacle towardand away from the open bottom of the box; said fit, however, is notloose enough to cause undue sidewise or endwise movement of thereceptacle within the box during box rotation, as might cause rattling,or vibration between the parts.

The receptacle 20 comprises two opposed end walls 2| and 22 which haveextending between them a top wall 23 and foreshortened side walls 24 and25 preferably constructed from a single sheet of material and secured tosaid end walls along its transverse edges by means of countersunk nails26. (Fig. 3.) A V-shaped'bottom wall 21 is providedfor the receptacleand the lower longitudinal edge of said wall 21 is joined with a centralpartition 210 which divides the hopper into two cigarette compartments.As most clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the top wall 21 and partition 213may be constructed from two sections of flat material having lowerabutting vertical portions and diverging upper portions, the transverseedges or" said portions being held in aligned Y-shaped grooves 28 and280 formed in the interior surfaces of end walls 2| and 22 respectively.Substantially V-shaped blocks 29 and 30 are respectively secured to thelower interior sides of the receptacle end walls 2.'I and 22respectively, the lower transverse edges 3| and 32 respectively of saidblocks being inclined toward the center and serving as delivery railsfor a cigarette dispensed through either inclined slot I8 or I9,v saidrails directing said cigarette to semi-circular depressions 33 and 34formed in the blocks.

Side openings 35 and 35 are formed in the receptacle between thelongitudinal edges of the wall 2l and the bottom edges of theforeshortened side walls 24 and 25 respectively, said openings beingnormally in registry with the slots I3 and I9 respectively when the boxis in its normal storage position, indicated in Fig. ll, and out ofregistry with the slots I8 and I9 respectively when the box vis restingon its top wall I5 in dispensing position, as illustrated in Figs. 1-3.The

the box I0 is a cigv outer limit of motion of the receptacle 2D withinthe box I U is determined by the alignment of the inclined slots in thebox with the openings in the receptacle and is xed by opposed pins 3Tand 38 projecting inwardly from end walls I3 and I4 respectively of thebox, said pins extending into slots 39 and 40 formed in end walls 2l and22 of the receptacle 2B.

In operation the receptacle 20 is removed from the box lo by withdrawingpins 3'! and 3S and each compartment is charged through its respectiveopening 35 and 36 with a number of cigarettes 4I and 42 whereupon theparts are reassembled and the whole then inverted to stand upside downon a table or desk. (Figure 4.) During the aforementioned manipulationthe hopper falls inside the box, to the position shown in Figure 4 and acigarette rolls through each of the openings in the sides of the hopperinto each of the two slots in the box. Other cigarettes fall behindcigarettes 43 and M as indicated in Fig. 4. The box is now in the closedor storage position.

To dispense a cigarette, the outer box is grasped from either end andslowly turned sideways. It may be turned either to the right or left,regardless of which end faces the operator, but it is assumed that it isturned to the right in a clockwise direction.

Before the turn of 180 degrees is half completed cigarette 44 and thosewhich were behind it fall back into the hopper, while cigarette 3 kandthose behind it remain in the positions shown until the box has beenfurther turned to position shown in Fig. 5. At this point in the turn,the hopper slides t the top l5 of the outer box, and cigarette 43 isby-passed and remains in the slot i9 at one side of the outer box, whilethe cigarettes behind it, fall back into the hopper of their own weightor are forced back by the descent of the hopper into the bottom of theouter box.

The turning of the box is then continued to complete an arc of 180degrees from the original closed position as shown in Fig. 4, whereuponthe inclination of the wall will initiate movement of the cigarette outof the slot in the box onto the delivery rails 3l and 32 on the bottomof the hopper where the cigarette rolls to the center and comes to restin the small, semi-circular depressions 33 and Sli and may be picked upby the operator with thumb and forenger. The box is then invertedagainst the upside down or closed position (as in Fig. 4) on the desk ortable where it is ready for the further dispensing of one cigarette at atime as desired.

As indicated in Fig. 1 my cigarette box may rest normally upon asupporting surface with its open bottom facing upwardly and the boxrotated one complete revolution to dispense a cigarette, but, asindicated in Fig. 4, the box preferably assumes a position with its openbottom resting upon said supporting surface. It will be noted that inthe latter position, the box effectively precludes the entrance of airand dirt into the cigarette receptacle and the walls maybe decorated inany suitable manner to provide an ornamental appearance for my box whennot in use.

What is claimed is:

l. In a device of the character described the combination of an openbottomed box having side walls, end walls and a top wall, a horizontalrecess formed in one of the side walls adjacent the open bottom thereof,a cigarette receptacle positioned within the box for vertical slidingmovement therein, said receptacle having a top wall, side walls, endwalls, and a bottom wall, a disrecess formed in one of the side wallsadjacent the open bottom thereof, a cigarette receptacle positionedwithin the box for vertical sliding movement therein, said receptaclehaving an inverted V-shaped bottom wall, a top wall, end walls andforeshortened side walls, thus forming openings between theforeshortened side walls and the longitudinal edges of the V-shapedbottom wall, said openings being normally in alignment with therecesses, and inclined delivery rails outside of the receptacle on thebottom wall adapted upon rotation of the box to an inverted position toguide a cigarette from the recess to dispensed position thereon afterretraction of the receptacle into the box so as to clear the recess.

8. A cigarette box having a top wall, side walls and end walls and anopen bottom, the interior faces of said side walls each having formedtherein a horizontal recess disposed adjacent the open bottom, and areciprocable cigarette receptacle within the box movable from adispensing position adjacent the top of the box to a normal storageposition adjacent the open bottom upon sidewise rotation of the box,said receptacle having end walls, foreshortened side walls, a top walland a V-shaped bottom wall having longitudinal edges which for-m withthe top edges of the side walls a pair of opposed cigarette dischargeopenings normally in alignment with the recess to introduce cigarettesfrom the receptacle into said recess whereby upon movement of thereceptacle to dispensed position a cigarette is guided from a'recessonto the bottom wall of the receptacle.

4. In a device of the character described the combination of a boxhaving a horizontal receiving recess formed on the interior face of onecf the sidewalls of the box, a cigarette receptacle vertically slidablewithin the box and having a discharge opening therein normallypositioned in registry with the recess whereby a cigarette is initiallyintroduced into the recess from the receptacle said receptacle being ofa height such that upon inversion of the box the now top surface of thereceptacle is below the recess in the side wall and said now top surfacebeing downwardly inclined from the recess so that the cigarette isdispensed from the recess upon the now top surface of said receptacle.

5. In a device of the character described the combination of an openbottomed box having side walls, end walls and a top wall, a horizontalrecess formed in each side wall of the box adjacent its open bottom, acigarette receptacle positioned within the box for vertical slidingmovement therein, said receptacle having an inverted V-shaped bottomwall, a top wall, end walls and foreshortened side walls, a partitionbetween the top edge of the V-shaped wall and the top wall therefor,openings formed between the foreshortened side walls and thelongitudinal edges of the V-shaped top wall, said openings beingnormally in algnmentwith the recesses, and inclined delivery railsdisposed on the outside of the bottom wall and adapted upon rotation ofthe box to an inverted position to guide a cigarette from the recess todispensed position thereon after retraction of the receptacle into thebox so as to clear the recesses.

6. In a device of the character described the combination of an openbottomed box having side Walls, end Walls and a top Wall, a horizontalrecess formed in each side wall of the box adjacent its open bottom, acigarette receptacle positioned Within the box for vertical slidingmovement therein, said receptacle having an inverted V-shaped bottomwall, a top Wall, end Walls and oreshortened side walls, a partitionbetween the top edge of the V-shaped Wall and the top Wall therefor,openings formed between the foreshortened side walls and thelongitudinal edges of the V-shaped top Wall, said openings beingnormally in alignment with the recesses, and inclined delivery railsdisposed on the outside of the receptacle on the bottom wall thereof andadapted upon rotation of the box to an inverted position to guide acigarette from the recess to dispensed position thereon after retractionof the receptacle into the box so as to clear the recesses.

7. In a device of the character described the combination of a box, aninclined horizontal cigarette receiving recess formed on the interiorface of one of the side walls of the box, a cigarette receptaclevertically slidable within the box and having a discharge openingtherein normally positioned in registry with the recess whereby acigarette is initially introduced into the recess from the receptacle,said receptacle being of a height such that upon inversion of the boxthe now top surface of the receptacle is below the recess in the sideWall and said now top surface being downwardly inclined from the recessso that the cigarette is dispensed from the recess upon the now topsurface of said receptacle.

WILLIAM S. GROOM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Dec. 27, 1909 Number

